Free Roam

Free Roam mode is the main element of multiplayer gameplay in Red Dead Redemption in which the player has full access to the entire single-player gamemap, with NPCs and many of the singleplayer activities. There is also a Hardcore Free Roam, after the Title Update 1.02 was released and a Friendly Free Roam after Title Update 1.05 was released. All multiplayer gameplay starts from a Free Roam session since none of the other multiplayer game modes are available directly from the main menu or single player game.

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Up to 16 players can participate in Free Roam, and those players can form Posses of up to 8 people. Whilst in free roam, players can complete different Challenges and activities such as raiding gang hideouts, hunting waves of dangerous animals at a Hunting ground, or engaging other posses in Shoot Outs. These activities can be done on your own or with a Posse. You can also launch other organized multiplayer game modes from special markers in free roam. In Xbox 360, players are matched with other gamers according to "Gamer Zones".

Experience Points (XP) are also awarded in Free Roam mode, as well as the competitive game modes. There are a total of 250 levels ( Level 250 = Legend 5 lvl 50) achieved if the player chooses to "legend" the maximum number of times. There are only 4 Legendary levels, the 5th emblem is earned at level 50 on 4th Legendary.

As the name implies, this is the default type of Free Roam session. In a Normal Free Roam session, players can attack and kill other players and players can choose any targeting mode based on their preferences. Other players appear on the radar and the map.

Hardcore is identical to the Normal Free Roam playlist in every way, except that only expert targeting is allowed, and other players' blips only appear on the radar when they sprint, fire their gun, respawn, or gallop on a horse. In addition, the names and titles which appear above players' heads during gameplay now only appear when targeting them, including posse members.

Title Update 1.05 added a "Friendly" version of Free Roam where player-vs-player killing is disabled, as an attempt to address griefing. Though players are still able to shoot each other, players cannot be killed by each other except through ingenious use of Dynamite or the Explosive Rifle. However it's been noted that this has been patched after the Title Update 1.07, and there is no longer any way to kill other players in Friendly Free Roam.

The other three Free Roam session types are public, meaning that players will be added to the session by the game servers without being specifically invited. In Private Free Roam, the player controls who can enter the session - other players can only enter by invitation. Besides this distinction, Private Free Roam is mostly identical to the other session types, but certain challenges/trophies are specified to be accomplished only in public free roam sessions.

Transportation in Free Roam is generally equivalent to the Single Player game, but with a few exceptions. Horses and horse-drawn transport can all be ridden/driven as usual (and some additional mounts are available as noted in the Outfitter section, below). There are no trains in Free Roam, however, and no stagecoaches for hire. There is also no ability to camp and, thus, no fast travel from camp. Instead, Free Roam includes Transportation Markers in various locations that allow fast travel to other locations or waypoints.

One category of Challenges is titled "Free Roam" and includes challenges that are completed in this game mode. These consist of hunting and gathering, clearing out gang hideouts, fighting other players, and other challenges. See the main page for more details.

In Free Roam, players can form "posses" of up to eight players. All players in the same posse will appear in white on the mini-map and in overhead name/title text, with the posse leader designated by a white star. Points earned by each player in the posse are added to the posse total. Voice chat with fellow posse members can be heard no matter where they are on the map. While in a posse, players may participate in any of the activities mentioned above.

The Outfitter is the place in Free Roam where players can customize every aspect of their online personality including what character represents them, what mount they ride and what title they go by. The outfitter is broken down into three separate sub-categories which are as follows:

Titles can also be selected in the outfitter. Some are given for the players level and other actions and deeds completed. For more information on what titles you can earn and how to can get them visit.

Accumulated experience points will advance the player's level and allow them to have access to faster and tougher mounts e.g. horses, buffalo, etc. . In legendary mode, better mounts can be earned earlier than in other modes.

Weapons are added to the player's inventory as they rank up in multiplayer. However, weapons acquired from dead enemies and spawns in the game world will remain with the player for the rest of a free roam session, whether they've unlocked them yet or not and even if they are killed and respawn. They will however disappear after the Free Roam session is over.

Picking up weapons the player has not yet unlocked can be greatly helpful when trying to gain experience in free roam while still a low level or after becoming a "Legend".

To access weapon spawns inside structures in gang hideouts it may be required to kill enough enemies to cause reinforcements to spawn inside and exit the buildings first.